APUCF flays govt over tall claims on loans to vendors

Vijayawada: The members of Andhra Pradesh Urban Citizens Federation expressed concern over the poor distribution of loans for small vendors across the State. "Only 25 traders out of 3,000 small vendors across Vijayawada received the loans under the Jagananna Thodu scheme which means less than one per cent," they said.

The team of APUCF went around the city to find out the facts regarding the distribution of loans to small vendors.

State convener of APUCF Ch Babu Rao said that Jagananna Thodu loans were not given during the last three years and even identity cards were not given though they had applied for. Some vendors received loans in the first year but they did not receive in the subsequent years though they had repaid the loans along with interest.

The street vendors were in deep trouble as there was hardly any business even during the festival season.

The municipal officials are collecting daily cess from vendors across the state. The contractors are collecting fees from fruit vendors during summer in the city. And not to lag behind, the police are filing cases against street vendors and collecting fines ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 per person per month. The tall claims of the government about 15 lakh vendors were benefited across the state are false, he said.

CITU leader Durga Rao said that street vendors are not receiving interest-free loans. Only a handful of YCP workers are getting benefitted. Street vendors have not received Mudra loans from the Central government. Babu Rao demanded justice for street vendors as per the directive of the Supreme Court. The federation would launch an agitation for vendors' rights, they warned. Hawkers' Union leaders Y Subba Rao, Murali, Bhulokam, Lakshmana, Venkateswara Reddy, Hemant and others participated.